Top five: Most expensive Premier League squads

As the transfer rumour chugs around, fuelled by conjecture and supposition, it would appear this coming summer could herald the arrival of one of the most memorable windows since the idea was conceived a decade ago.

Return to Old Trafford and Ronaldo would join an already expensively assembled squad boasting the likes of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie while Neymar, a reported target for Chelsea and Manchester City, would greatly increase the market value of the squads at Stamford Bridge or the Etihad Stadium.

Spending large sums to replenish a team is one thing, but how much does the total value of a squad change once new players have had the opportunity to bed in at their respective new clubs? GMF takes a look at the most expensive squads in the Premier League, in terms of their current market value...

1. Manchester City - £380m

Manchester City spent a club record fee to complete the signing of Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero in the summer of 2011 and, after an instrumental role in delivering the title in his first season with the club, the Argentine remains the most highly-valued player on the books at the Etihad Stadium.

According to Transfermarkt, Aguero's present market value of £39.5 million places him at the top of Manchester City's rankings, although he is closely followed by fleet-footed Spaniard David Silva.

City spent £25 million to acquire Silva from Valencia, and his value has soared since his arrival in Manchester, with the 27-year-old worth 54 percent more now than he was upon arrival almost three years ago.

Manchester City have two other players valued in excess of £30 million in Yaya Toure (£31.5m) and Vincent Kompany (£31m), making Roberto Mancini's squad the most valued in the Premier League.

This fee, however, is only around a third of the Manchester United striker's reported market value, with Transfermarkt making Rooney the most expensive player at Old Trafford, worth a staggering £57 million.

Robin van Persie, meanwhile, has seen his price soar by over 64 percent since he joined Manchester United from Arsenal in the summer transfer window of last year, with the Dutchman having played a key role in the club's pursuit of Premier League glory.

Rooney and Van Persie are the only Manchester United players with market values of £30 million or more, with Portuguese winger Nani the third highest valued at £24 million.

3. Chelsea - £340m

Chelsea may have spent more than Manchester United to assemble their squad but, with the Blues in apparent decline, the value of their players in the current market has plummeted.

Fernando Torres is the clearest indication of this, with Chelsea unlikely to make even half of the £50 million they outlaid to secure his signature from Liverpool in the January transfer window of 2011.

The 28-year-old, whose future with Chelsea looks increasingly uncertain, is now valued at £24.5 million, although age and form will surely see this dip further come the end of the campaign.

Juan Mata, however, has seen his value move in the opposite direction to Chelsea's seas, with the 24-year-old Spain international worth 57 percent more now than when he transferred from Valencia.

4. Arsenal - £250m

Jack Wilshere may have only played 26 games in the last 18 months, but the Arsenal midfielder is valued higher than any other player at the disposal of Arsene Wenger at the Emirates Stadium.

The 21-year-old was forced to miss a year and a half of action after a succession of injuries, but his market value (£24.5m) outlines how important he has been to the Gunners since his return to action in October.

Wilshere is one of four Arsenal players rated at £20 million or more, with Santi Cazorla's valuation (£24m) further evidence that the Gunners completed a major bargain when they signed him from Malaga last summer.

Cazorla cost Arsenal in the region of £12 million, and the Spaniard has scored 11 goals and registered nine assists during his first season in north London.

5. Tottenham - £235m

Unsurprisingly, Gareth Bale is the most expensive player on the books at Tottenham after his sensational spell of form propelled Andre Villas-Boas' side into the Premier League's top three.

Bale has scored 23 goals in all competitions this season, his almost double his previous best tally, and the Welshman continues to be linked with a summer transfer to the most prominent clubs in Europe.

The market value of the 23-year-old, according to Transfermarkt, stands at £37 million, making Bale worth exactly double of Mousa Dembele, the next most highly valued Spurs player.

Dembele has seen his value increase by over 23 percent since his summer transfer from Fulham to White Hart Lane.

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